Faith Frazier POV:
A soft, almost imperceptible meow-like sound drifted through the door. I turned, confused, as Jetta walked in, typing a password into the keypad, as if she owned the place. The absurdity of it all almost made me laugh, a harsh, bitter sound that caught in my throat. This was my home. Our home.
Dale, momentarily distracted, looked up, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes quickly replaced by a puzzled concern for Jetta. She sniffled, bowing her head. "I'm so sorry, Faith," she mumbled, her voice dripping with fake contrition. "It was just a dare. I didn't know you' d mind so much." She held out a small mud doll, her eyes wide and innocent. "I wish you and Dale a hundred years of happiness."
Her words were a poison, and Dale, oblivious, swallowed it whole. His frown deepened. Jetta then scurried over to me, clutching the doll. "Please, Faith, please forgive me." She pressed the doll into my hand.
I felt a surge of nausea. I shoved her away, the touch repulsive. She stumbled, falling with exaggerated force, hitting her lower back against the glass cabinet. The mud doll shattered, its pieces scattering across the floor. Jetta screamed, clutching her back. "It hurts! She pushed me!" she wailed, "Faith pushed me!"
Dale' s fists clenched. He rushed to Jetta's side, scooping her into his arms, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at me. "How could you, Faith?!" he snarled, his voice trembling with disappointment. "How could you be so cruel? She's just a child!"
Jetta's tears, fake as they were, seemed to melt his heart. He took a deep, shaky breath, his voice hardening into an ominous command. "Apologize to her, Faith. Now."
I lifted my chin, my eyes, cold as ice, reflecting their intimate tableau. "Apologize?" I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "There's nothing to apologize for. You and her… you're inseparable. You can't even give me a proper explanation. And you want me to apologize?" I shook my head, the absurdity of it all almost overwhelming. "Tell me, Dale, do you love her?"
He winced, the question a physical blow. His anger seemed to falter, replaced by a flicker of uncertainty. An unsettling fear bloomed in his chest. He was afraid. Afraid of losing me for good. He loved me, he knew that. But Jetta… she was so vulnerable, so dependent. He couldn't just abandon her. He opened his mouth, hesitating, about to speak.
But then, Jetta, her eyes wide with feigned shock, pointed behind me. "Dale! Your tickets! They're burned!"
